Tracheotomy--a satisfactory method in the treatment of acute epiglottitis. A clinical and functional follow-up study.

A follow-up study, including clinical examination, X-ray and function tests, of 27 children with acute epiglottitis treated with tracheotomy at the ENT-Department, Mölndal Hospital during 1971-1975 has been performed. The function tests were an important part of the investigation and included measurement with the He-dilution technique, flow--volume curves and the forced oscillation technique. No child had any detectable tracheal stenosis or any other serious per- or postoperative complication. The only complication at all was one ugly scar on the neck. The tracheotomized patient needs very little sedation and the time spent at the intensive care unit can be shorter than for those patients treated with nasotracheal intubation.